Obsession: The Hollow Universe Page 18

  “It’s alright. You’re safe, Ellie. You’re safe.”

  The feel of their hands on me, strong and warm but incredibly gentle, began to calm me.

  After what felt like forever, the roiling in my stomach eased and I knelt there, unsure what to say or do.

  Tissues were placed in my hand and I wiped my mouth before a bottle of water replaced it.

  Rinsing and spitting several times, I finally sipped it, allowing it to cool the burn the bile left behind.

  “No one will ever hurt you again, Ellie.”

  I managed to murmur, “I’m sorry.”

  If I didn’t get inside and away from the various beds being freshly prepared as they were every spring, I was going to throw up again.

  I was bodily lifted to my feet.

  “No more apologies, Ellie. Not one. You’ve done nothing that requires such a thing.”

  They guided me through the house to my suite and waited in my bathroom doorway as I brushed my teeth and washed my face.

  Jonas asked, “Do you want to lie down?”

  I shook my head. “I’d like to sit in the solarium. I need to be calm before Mom brings Katie back.”

  Hands crossed over my waist, the brothers led me through the suite and out into the warm and welcoming glass room.

  They sat on one of the sofas and gently tugged me down to sit between them. Si appeared with iced green tea laced with honey to soothe my throat.

  I sipped it until it was gone and the cup was taken from me. Leaning against the cushions, I closed my eyes and let the world settle for a minute.

  In the years since these men took over my protection, I’d rarely sat close to one Hyde brother.

  Never had I been so close to both at the same time.

  When they took my hands, I squeezed as if to soak up their steady strength. I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. Other than my parents and some of their friends, I didn’t experience much physical contact that wasn’t for a specific purpose.

  Something so simple, so kind as holding my hands in comfort, had me close to tears and I couldn’t let them know how much their touch affected me.

  I was afraid they’d take it away.

  We sat there for a long time in silence and I dozed off. When I opened my eyes, surprised at how warm I was, I discovered my head on Jordan’s shoulder. Jonas was closer to me.

  Their sides were sealed to mine and there wasn’t another time in my life when I’d felt as safe. Jonas held my hand in both of his. Jordan held my other and smoothed his thumb along the inside of my wrist.

  I flicked my gaze to his and he smiled. “You need to eat, Ellie.”

  “Alright.” I cleared my throat. “Everyone tries to feed me an awful lot around here.”

  Jonas chuckled. “You forget to feed yourself. Come.”

  They stood with my hands held firmly, pulling me up to stand between them.

  Jordan ran his hand over my hair. “Better?” I nodded and I meant it. “Good.”

  He pulled me into a quick hug before I was turned and hugged by Jonas. Without another word, they led me downstairs where my parents waited with Katie.

  The world suddenly seemed to be a much brighter place.

  * * *

  A few weeks later, Theresa officially released me from medical care. Hugging me tightly, she said, “I’m heading back to Boston. I need to get back to my practice and my family.”

  “I’ll miss you.”

  “You’ll see me often. The new charity will take a lot of hand-holding the first two years but those families are worth all the hours we’re going to commit.”

  “Agreed.”

  “This has been a trying year for you and it’s made me remember what family is supposed to be. I need to reconnect with mine. When you visit, bring the baby.”

  Tearing up, I whispered, “Thank you for everything. No one could have brought me through all of this as efficiently. I’m grateful for all the time you gave us.”

  “It was my honor.”

  The next morning, Theresa left for her Boston home. It was an emotional parting.

  Adam left with her to continue his position at her clinic. He hugged me too tightly in the driveway after Theresa was already seated in the limo that would take her to the airport.

  “Stay in touch, Ellie.” The words were whispered at my ear.

  “Sure, Adam. Travel safe.” I patted his back distractedly to keep from snapping his neck. Finally, he let me go.

  He glared at the Hyde brothers no more than six inches from my shoulders. “Can’t Ellie say goodbye to her friends without you guys looming? Good grief.”

  “No, they cannot. My men guard my back. That’s what they do.” I added sharply, “Goodbye, Adam.”

  As if I’d said something sweet, he gave me a huge grin and leaned as if to kiss me. I was bodily moved out of his reach.

  “It’s time for you to go. Theresa has a plane to catch and so do you.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “Goodbye, Ellie.”

  When he was in the car and it pulled away, I hissed, “What an asshole. I’m starving.”

  Barely a week later, the rooms dedicated to Theresa and her assistant’s lab and living quarters were returned to the bedrooms they once were.

  All the equipment was shipped to the doctor for use at her clinic in the heart of Boston. It was her true passion.

  I was ready to return home myself.

  Chapter Thirty

  June 2015

  I was heartbroken I wouldn’t see Hudson and Natalia exchange their vows but I wouldn’t leave Katie and wasn’t ready to make such a public appearance where so many people knew me professionally.

  Not yet.

  There would be too many questions. I refused to be such a distraction on the happiest day of their lives.

  My parents attended and I decided to make good use of the time they were gone.

  The Hydes accompanied me as I walked across the grounds to my own home on the other side. I wanted to see the condition of the place and consult with a contractor.

  I hadn’t been inside since my release from the hospital and it felt as if I was seeing it for the first time.

  The front entry was wide and brightly lit. The first floor held a kitchen with a smaller dining room, a library, two living areas, two bedrooms with bathrooms, a full gym and sauna, and a large semi-covered patio with a swimming pool and hot tub.

  The main rooms were all done in soothing earth tones.

  Each member of the team worked with me to decorate their rooms for the most comfort.

  Si and Fiaaz had bedrooms on the first floor, closest to the kitchen and garage, to cover the front and back of the house.

  Si’s room featured low profile furniture I asked him to help me select, with a black and white color scheme, giving the room a decided dojo quality. He meditated every morning so an area beneath one window held plants and thick floor cushions.

  Fiaaz preferred heavy furniture with a royal burgundy palate. Heavy mats allowed him to practice body isolations privately instead of using the main gym.

  The second floor had five bedrooms, each with their own bathroom.

  Padme’s room featured vibrant colors and hand-carved furniture. One wall concealed a staircase to her security room behind the kitchen. A private workspace held the basic technology she used regularly.

  Bianca’s room was cool blues and iridescent creams. It resembled an ice palace but felt strangely comfortable and welcoming. Much like the woman herself.

  My combination bedroom, bathroom, and sitting room were done in varying shades of browns and greens. From caramel to espresso, sage to emerald. I used ivory as an accent color and loved the peace I always felt here.

  Since I hadn’t known there were two Hydes, I decorated a single room in pale blue-green to match his eyes and furnished it with clean lines and masculine accents.

  It was right next to mine.

  The room directly across the hall was a guest room. I planned to t
ransform the uppermost floor into the nanny’s quarters, nursery, and a massive playroom.

  I spent an hour walking through the house and re-familiarizing myself with the spaces. I knew I wanted a play space on the first floor for Katie.

  Part of my mind noted the rarely used second living area that I could convert into space for Tom when he became a permanent member of my team.

  I made notes on my iPad for Padme to help me coordinate and grinned at the puppy who followed me into each room and promptly fell asleep.

  The first change would be to give each brother their own space. I wanted to duplicate the furniture and freshen the colors.

  “You look like you’ve missed the place.” The brothers approached silently as usual.

  “I’m ready to move back into my own home. I know I’m still on the estate but…it’s different. I took the coward’s way out by staying with Mom and Dad so long.”

  Jonas turned to me. “Don’t beat yourself up for wanting family around you. I’m glad you feel strong enough to come home.” He swallowed hard but said nothing more.

  A few weeks later, the contractors and cleaning crew declared the house ready, and we moved back in.

  Everyone giddily dispersed and I headed upstairs. I watched the Hyde brothers disappear into the bedroom they were accustomed to sharing.

  Knocking softly, Jordan opened the door and smiled brightly at Katie in my arms.

  I cleared my throat and steadied my voice. “You each have y-your own rooms now. The empty one a-across the hall. I figured…well, anyway.”

  “You kept both of us beside you?” Jordan noted as Jonas appeared at his shoulder.

  “Of course.” Katie touched my face and I smiled at her. “The new nanny should be here soon. I’m going to check her diaper and…stuff.”

  I carried Katie into my room and laid down on the bed with her after I put her in a fresh diaper.

  She was starting to smile all the time and I loved it.

  “You’re such a happy girl. No one could ask for a better baby. I think you’re going to like your room, Katie. I wanted you to have the run of a huge floor.” She gurgled cheerfully and I stroked my fingers through her soft curls.

  “When you’re big enough, Grandpa will bring my old wooden horse for you to ride. Don’t get me started on your first real horse, honey. I’ll pick the sweetest darling for you and you’ll ride with Mommy all over the estate.”

  Katie laughed and it filled me with pure happiness.

  “I love you so much. No little girl will ever be loved like you. I think your grandparents argue over which of them loves you more, can you imagine?”

  I leaned to kiss her chubby pink cheek. “You’re also an excellent listener, Katie.”

  A sound at the door made me look up. The Hyde brothers stood inside the room, looking gorgeous and huge in a room that wasn’t small.

  I was sprawled on my stomach talking to a three-month-old and I blushed. “We were having a little chat. Everything alright?”

  “Ellie…”

  “You’ll have to come closer or tell me which is which. I can’t see scars from here.” Katie laughed and I gave her a proud smile. “You probably have them all figured out already. So much smarter than Mommy aren’t you, sweetheart?”

  When I looked up again, both men were crouched at the side of the bed, barely a foot from me.

  “Thank you for giving us our own rooms,” Jonas said gently. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “Of course, I did. Either you were trying to share a bed or one of you got the floor. Either way, it’s not necessary since there was an empty room. Does everyone have what they need?”

  Jordan smiled. “You added flat-screens to all the bedrooms. They’re happy to be home but now you don’t have any guest rooms.”

  I snorted. “There are plenty at my parents’ house and besides, who comes to visit? I would have done that originally…if I’d known. Cramped with no privacy is no way to live. Not in your own home. All fixed.”

  The brothers stared at me and I had that gazelle feeling again.

  A knock across the room broke the spell and Padme jumped up on the bed beside me. “You’re our queen. I adore the new shoe racks!”

  Glancing at the brothers, I winked. “You say flat-screens, Padme says shoe racks.”

  They laughed and I was dumbstruck. I’d never understood the expression before. I blinked too fast.

  “I love the playroom and new bedroom on the first floor,” my assistant said like the saving grace she was. “You were right to ditch that formal space we never used.”

  “Movies are better in the other living room and there’s more than enough room for all of us.”

  “What are your thoughts on Tom?”

  “I want him to finish basic training with the house team.” I looked at the Hydes. “How’s he doing?”

  “Exhausted by the end of the day,” Jonas answered. “He’s small and fast. He’ll never be a fighter but that wasn’t the point of the training.”

  Jordan added, “He needs to understand emergency response. He’ll never be able to guard you or Katie but he has to know how to protect himself when things are moving fast.”

  “Excellent. Let’s keep him in the loop.”

  Padme grinned. “Have you seen the nursery?”

  I shook my head. “Not yet. We should check it out. Katie told me her space better be perfect or she’s going back to Grandma’s.” I backed off the bed and picked her up.

  Bianca walked toward us down the hall. “Robyn’s here.”

  Robyn was the nanny hired from a pool carefully vetted by my parents and Padme. I was pretty sure she was a ninja Mary Poppins and I was fine with that.

  She was pixie cute with brown hair and green eyes. Based on her bio, her adorable looks were deceiving.

  “Perfect timing.” I greeted her warmly as she approached. “It’s good to meet you at last. We’re headed up to check out the nursery. Come on up.”

  I walked upstairs with the big silly puppy beside me.

  Nothing I imagined, nothing the contractor suggested, prepared me for the full realization of a child’s fantasy space.

  Repainted with pastels, a mural on one wall depicted a fairy wood, and colorful lighting globes in assorted sizes suspended from the crossbeams gave the space warmth I could feel.

  The carpet was pale green and lush. There were huge over-stuffed couches and chairs scattered around.

  Diva sniffed everything then went back and sniffed it again.

  Enormous windows held glass that could stop a .50 caliber bullet and featured one-sided tint. You could see out but no one could see in, no matter how bright the space was lit up.

  There were two large actual bedrooms at the far end, one for Robyn and one for Katie. A big bathroom sat between them.

  A built-in cabinet with bulletproof glass doors and recessed lighting held many of the keepsakes from my childhood. On the top shelf in the spotlight was Katie’s hope chest, my daughter’s name glowing.

  “Miss Fields, this space is incredible.”

  “Robyn, please call me Ellie. You’ll find we’re informal here. You’ll be with us a good many years. Mom said you can take over Katie’s lessons before she starts school as well as her comportment?”

  She nodded, stunned.

  “This is Texas. She’ll be forced to make her debutante debut. I hated it and she will, too. Nonetheless, we do what we must. So! Eighteen years of Miss Fields or Ellie…what do you think?”

  Robyn gave a small laugh. “Most families don’t keep a nanny like me for eighteen years.”

  “My parents wouldn’t have hired you unless you were weapons trained and certified as a lethal weapon yourself. That means when Katie no longer needs diaper changes or an after-school snack, you’ll become her personal bodyguard.”

  Her eyes were huge.

  “Everywhere she goes, you go. I’ll pay you more than you’ll ever make anywhere else to keep her safe.” I tilted my head and add
ed, “If anyone makes you an offer, I’ll beat it.”

  Katie laughed and I grinned at her. I hated that talk of self-defense was necessary. She was a baby.

  “Coordinate days off with Padme, whatever you need. If you need vacation time, a member of my team will cover her in your place. She’ll train with the men and women who protect me but incorporate self-defense tactics in play as well.”

  Robyn nodded. “I like the way you think.”

  “Jonas and Jordan are my personal protection. When it’s time for college, they’ll train an entire team to accompany my daughter or she won’t go. You’ll lead that team, Robyn.”

  “You’ve really thought this through, Miss…Ellie.”

  “Obsessed over it, yes.” Katie put her little palm on my lips and I kissed her fingers. “Pretty girl.”

  I was distracted for a moment and suddenly remembered I was in the middle of a conversation. “Sorry. She’s so snuggly.”

  “She’s a calm baby.”

  “A true joy.” Cradling her closer to my body, I said, “Remind me of your background.”

  Her accent was a blend of various cultures and I loved it. “Originally from England, my father was based at the embassy in Jordan. I was a target and had to learn to protect myself. It seemed natural to go into protection as an adult.”

  “You look about my age. Work for me for the next twenty or thirty years, and never worry one day about your retirement. I won’t let you regret it.”

  Katie was drifting off and it made me smile. “Get settled in and we’ll hammer out details over the next couple of days. Let us know if you need anything.”

  “Come here, little one. You look like you’re ready for a nap.” Robyn held out her hands and I felt confident handing her my daughter.

  I whispered, “Princess, relax and Mommy will see you in a little while. Don’t play with everything at once.”

  I kissed her forehead and headed for the stairs.

  On the first floor, I walked into the well-appointed kitchen and grinned at the master of the domain. Grabbing my apron from the hook, I bumped hips with Si.

  “What are we cooking?”

  He gave me a huge smile and I felt like I was falling back into my own skin.